Patrick Arès-Pilon
Patrick Arès-Pilon est ravi de prendre part à cette édition du Nextfest. Suite au coup-d’état de 2020, par la F.R.N.A., Patrick a été interpellé à joindre le M.N.F. en 2022. En réplique du décret instauré par la F.R.N.A. en 2029, où l’homogénéisation, l’hyper capitalisme et l’hyper numérisation a été imposé dans toutes sphères du quotidien, le M.N.F. a comme mission à trouver, documenter et conserver ce qui a été oublié. En soirée, Patrick et son confrère Julien Doucette-Préville vagabondent où le passé a été abandonné et condamner pour enfin en sortir des petits trésors oubliés. Ils passent leurs journées en élaborant des manifestes analogues du passé, où leurs pensées, leurs découvertes et leurs émotions figurent en abstraction sur film 16mm. Ces manifestes peuvent être visionné lors du morceau éloquent de danse d’Eryn Tempest, intitulé keeping silence on her dress dans le Dancing on the Ceiling program.
Andrea Beça
Andrea has a BA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Alberta, and will be pursuing her MLit in Dramaturgy and Playwriting at the University of Glasgow starting September 2009. She has written, directed, and produced two of her own stage plays, and is currently working on two more for the upcoming Edmonton Fringe Festival. Andrea has been published in FreeFall Magazine (Calgary), and has been nominated for numerous writing awards, the most recent being The Writers' Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. While her main focus is drama, Andrea is also a frequent writer of short fiction and creative non-fiction. At Nextfest 2009, her new play Painting Space For Ceara will be presented as part of the Afternoon Teas(ers) Development Series.
Travis Boa
Travis Boa has been involved in music since he entered this world. He is a self-taught singer/songwriter whom prides himself on creating a healthy environment in which to create melodies and lyrics on the fly. At the age of 3 years old Travis was recording songs and stories on tapes of the top of his head. He did his “practicum” in Vancouver at the open stages and street corners before moving to Edmonton, Alberta. Travis Boa made his debut into the Edmonton music scene by collaborating with K.O. Dance Projects and by performing once a week at Café Leva for 2 years. Once the word got around that this man had something special about his way, he started on to many other projects in film, dance, traditional, folk, hip/hop, funk, and electronic music. Travis formed The Red Dears in 2007 and moved on to a solid partnership with Cam Boyce in 2008. Since these two multi-instrumentalists have come together they have taken the city by storm. First the formation of Of Breath, a soothing acoustic duo just right for any mellow occasion, and soon after the magic of Cam and Travis formed The Str8 Up Gypsies; a group solely dedicated to folk fusion dance parties that are all improv-based. This group has an unlimited amount of members so that anyone can be a part of this movement. Watch out for a gypsified stage near you! You can see Travis perform as part of Eryn Tempest's keeping silence on her dress, part of the Dancing on the Ceiling program.
Jessalyn Britton
After dancing in previous Nextfest pieces, Jessalyn is delighted to have the opportunity to dance and choreograph for Nextfest this year. Currently Jessalyn is studying in the University of Calgary's Program of Dance and will be graduating as a contemporary major in winter 2010. Previous to attending the U of C she has been involved in many different aspects of the Edmonton dance community and returns each summer to participate in the numerous dance opportunities Edmonton has to offer. Check out her 2009 Nextfest piece HTWOH performed in Dancing on the Ceiling, danced and co-choreographed with Dixie deVries.
Merran Carr-Wiggin
Merran is thrilled to be taking part in her first Nextfest. Look for her in Open Tracks, written by Hedda Hakvåg, and directed by Perry Gratton. Merran is a Drama and Art History student at the University of Alberta. Recent theatre credits include "Thin Anxiety" in Desire Caught by the Tail, directed by Jeff Page, “Cinderella” in Cinderella, directed by Linette Smith (Edmonton Fringe Festival) and “Dana” in Pamplemoussy, written by Elena Belyea (University of Alberta New Works Festival).
Matt Dale
Matt Dale is a recent grad from Red Deer Colleges’ Theatre Studies Acting program. He is nineteen years old, and is originally from Sundre, Alberta. Matt has been involved in theatre acting since the age of 14, but has always had an urge to perform. The most recent shows that you may have spotted Matt in are Treasure Island where he played Long John Silver, and Romeo and Juliet portraying Friar Laurence (oh and previous BullSkits better not forget that…yikes). He is very excited to be acting here in Edmonton at NextFest, hopes everyone enjoys the show, Bull Skit, and thanks you all for supporting the arts in Alberta!
Lisa Dalmazzi
After stints in Ottawa and San Francisco, Lisa is currently enjoying her time in the BFA Stage Management program at the University of Alberta. Most recently she was the Stage Manager for Nicole Schafenacker's Fish at the Bottom of the Sea (University of Alberta), and Cowboy Mouth (Media Room). Past production credits include Nicole Moeller's Without You (Studio Theatre), The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Guys and Dolls, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, (Orpheus Musical Theatre Society), The Last Five Years (Spotlight Musical Theatre), The Music Man, Anne of Green Gables, Anything Goes (OCSB). At Nextfest 2009, Lisa is the Stage Manager for Fish At the Bottom of the Sea, El Dorado, and Dog (part of the Hurly Burly Nite Club on June 19).
Tess Degenstein
Tess Degenstein is thrilled to be taking part in NextFest 2009. Check her out in Thea Green's Four Corners, part of the Safety Dance series. Selected theater credits include Major Barbara, Roberto Zucco, Largo Desolato (Studio Theatre), A Winter's Tale, As You Like It, Richard III, Two Gentlemen of Verona: The Musical (FreeWill Shakespeare Festival), What Gives?, and Revenge of the South Sea Bubble (Teatro la Quindicina), and The Fusion Project 2005/2006 (The Globe Theatre). Film credits include renegadepress.com, and Incredible Story Studio. Tess is also a performer in Rapid Fire Theatre's weekly improv shows TheatreSports and Chimprov. In the fall, Tess will be appearing in the world premiere of Joey Tremblay's The Alice Nocturne, at the Globe Theatre. Enjoy the festival!
Anton deGroot
Anton is a director, creator, and designer with a BFA from the University of Calgary. He is artistic director of (Parenthesis) Company, a new group dedicated to creating high quality engaging work. Anton is also a member of the Downstage Creative Ensemble, a company he co-founded in 2004. Most recently this spring he has directed Honesty by Neil Fleming and Polygraph by Robert Lepage & Marie Brassard. Selected credits include: Palace of the End, The Piper, Habitat, The Dishwashers (recipient of the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Scenic Design in 2008), Arms-Length Embrace, Man Out of Joint, (Downstage); Ilsa: Queen of the Nazi Love Camp, Five Hole: Tales of Hockey Erotica, Garden Cities of To-Morrow (One Yellow Rabbit); Hamlet, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (CYPT); Trainspotting, Unknown Pleasures (Sage Theatre). Anton’s work will next be seen on Bus(t) – an original creation by Downstage running June 17 – 29 outside the Pumphouse Theatres in Calgary. Anton looks forward to putting forward (Parenthesis) Company’s first season this coming year, including Patrick Marber’s Closer in early 2010. Anton is the director of Lapse for Nextfest 2009.
Quinn Dooley
Quinn Dooley was raised in a home filled with passion for the arts. Having an actor for a father and a theatre manager for a mother, dancing as well as acting and singing were introduced to her at a very young age. Like her parents, Quinn’s passion for the arts only grew and expanded with age, inspiring her to take numerous classes in the three art forms. Her three strong talents soon became four when she began studying the violin. Some of Quinn’s most memorable performances include four seasons as Belinda Cratchit in the Citadel Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol; Dance Me, an art exhibit and dance performance for the International Leonard Cohen festival; The Citadel Theatre’s Teens at the Turn Festival production of ICE: beyond cool, a theatre/dance/movement performance and most recently being able to be a part of Dance Xtreme, Victoria School’s jazz dance company. Quinn continues to study violin at the Alberta College Music Conservatory and attends Victoria School for the Arts where she is training in dance, music and drama. Check her out in Becky Sadowski's Skin Deep, part of the Let's Dance series for Nextfest 2009.
Julien Doüvillé
This evanescent — some would say effervescent — character from Edmonton is in a constant state of reinvention. His newfound obsession is the application of a synthetic conceptualization of quantum mechanics and general relativity onto film. His interest in space-time compression has led him to seek a unified visual representation of theoretical supersymmetry models through film. He is one of the foremost cameraless animators in the field of complex pluridimensional Riemannian surface interpretation. His work is largely based on Fermi-Dirac statistical derivatives which follows the innovation in bosonic string theory. This filmographic application of dreamcatching physics allows for a supersession of sociodemographic divides in a world where dreamscapes are landscapes and where collisions can only be derived as an occurence enhancing the experience. You can see his film creations at Nextfest in Eryn Tempest's keeping silence on her dress, as part of Dancing on the Ceiling.
Jacob Dutton
At 14 years, Jacob is the youngest participant at Nextfest 2009. His graffiti-inspired work grew from exposure to the street art of New York, Montreal, Halifax, and Seattle. Born and raised in Edmonton, Jacob's art training includes classes and workshops at the Art Gallery of Alberta, Society of Northern Alberta Print-artists, Harcourt House Art Centre and
the Edmonton Winter Art Factory. Jacob's show, Face to Face, is on display at Local 124, Edmonton's premier longboarding store. Thanks to Josée of Nextfest for the opportunity, Barbara Dacks of Legacy Magazine for 'adopting' Jacob, and Local 124 for providing the great space.
Jeannette Egan
Jeannette’s work, In the Bath, will be showcased at C’est Sera Clothing during Nextfest 2009. She was born and raised in Edmonton Alberta. Jeanette is currently in her BFA at the University of Alberta specializing in painting and drawing, which she will be complete in France in the fall of 2009. Jeannette works in various mediums including painting, sculpture and more recently photography. Her work also incorporates the concepts of movement, memory, beauty, poetry, ritual, and the affects of space on the human body. Her work has been exhibited in Alberta, the UK and China. Currently she teaches art classes at the City Arts Centre, and as well as volunteering for various things related to the arts in Edmonton.
Jennifer Ellis
Jennifer is dancing in Thea Green’s Four Corners, part of the Safety Dance Nextfest program. Jennifer is a recent addition to the Edmonton arts community. Originally from Toronto, her journey as a professional dance artist began in 2007 when after graduating from Toronto’s York University BFA Dance Program she was selected to represent the university and Canada at the InterContinental Dance Festival in Madison, USA. Since then she has danced in Toronto and Montreal with contemporary choreographers Tracey Norman, Sashar Zarif, and Viv Moore. In 2008 she moved to Shanghai, China where she performed in the contemporary and street jazz dance styles, working in television and live performance with French choreographer Pamela Bouthillier and her company Artist Shanghai, and with company Jazz du Funk. Since returning to Canada she has been dancing with Edmonton’s Mile Zero Dance, performing in their spring 2009 Secret Diary of a Collapsed World, Part One, among others.
Amy Erlandson
Amy graduated from the Theatre Studies acting program at Red Deer College in 2007. Choreography, dance captain and movement coach credits from RDC include, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz and the dada play. Some acting credits are Wang (The Bundle), Natalia (Marriage Proposal) and Angela (Murmel Murmel Mortimer Munsch). The Blue Note Lounge at RDC was Jenna (director) and Amy‘s (choreographer) first project together. The show moved to the Calgary Fringe and after the summer Amy returned to RDC as a guest choreographer for Little Shop of Horrors. She also organized the first annual Scriptease for Prime Stock Theatre. She was then off to do a six month tour of Italy with Theatrino. Back from Italy, Amy met up with Jenna again and after a six month trial run of Bull Skit! she is thrilled about this coming year with Jenna and Against the Wall Theatre. Check her out in Bull Skit at Nextfest 2009. Watch for Amy this summer at the Edmonton (and Calgary) Fringe in her TYA production of Junie B. Jones.
Vincent Forcier
Vincent is an Edmonton based actor, dancer and director. Selected credits include: Eleanor, Twisted Thing (Nextfest 2006), Grumplestock's (Nextfest 2005), The Zoo Story (Surreal SoReal Theatre), 1984 (Teens @ the Turn), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Blood Wedding (UofA), Without You (World Premiere), Roberto Zucco (Studio Theatre), and the Sterling nominated The Creation of the World… (The System Theatre). Selected directing credits include: The Anti-Morality Plays (Nextfest 2008), Redbird, Duet For a Schizophrenic, Big Shot (Surreal SoReal Theatre), and the Sterling nominated Nobody’s Story (Leahtard Theatre). Vincent is a graduate of the BFA-Acting program at the University of Alberta and Co-Artistic Director of Surreal SoReal Theatre. For Nextfest 2009, Vincent can be seen in The Surrender Method, part of the Let's Dance series, as well as at The Hurly-Burly Time-Travelling Vaudevillian Nextfest Nite Club (June 19).
Mallory Gallant
Mallory is excited to be a part of Nexfest 2009. Most recently Mallory was a part of The IGNITE! Festival for Sage Theatre as Playwright and Director of The Ashlings. She is the Artistic Director of Sirens Theatre and an Artistic Associate for Jewel Box Burlesque. She is a graduate of the Mount Royal Theatre Performance Program. Playwrighting credits also include the show “Chemo Burlesque”, which will premiere at The 2009 Calgary Fringe Festival. You can catch her in the upcoming productions of Charlotte’s Web for Centre Stage Theatre and A 1970’s Cinderella for Stage West: Kids. Selected previous acting credits include: The Laramie Project for AIDS Calgary, Debbie in Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical for Calgary Fringe Rewind, and Ah! Wilderness, Red Noses, The Best Present of All, and Oedipus Rex, all for Mount Royal Theatre. As always she thanks her family and friends for their undying support. Check her out in The Apartment by Kevin Weir, part of the Enbridge High School Reading Series.
Jenna Goldade
Jenna Goldade recently graduate of the RDC Theatre program, and the RDC Motion Picture Program. She is currently the Artistic Director of Against the Wall Theatre. This past year she has been crazy busy and continues to be. Over the past two years Jenna has immersed herself in directing and writing. She recently finished Dead Lover’s Day- a Musical which traveled to the Edmonton Fringe, Calgary Fringe and in Red Deer at the Matchbox. Other directing credits include Blue Note Lounge (RDC), Stool (CAT One Acts), Loved by you (Film, RDC) and Bastards n’ Stuff (Scriptease). Other credits include for acting are Dreamland Saturday Nights as Dorothy (Ignition), The Dada Play as Lunatic 1 (RDC), and Old Age of Horror as Edna (Calgary Fringe). She is very excited about the year to come, and hopes you support Against the Wall Theatre. Have a good laugh at Bull Skit! tonight.
Jennifer Goodman
Jennifer is thrilled to be designing the set, costume and lights for Open Tracks in this year’s Nextfest. She is currently a Masters student in the theatre design program at the University of Alberta, and holds undergraduate degrees from Queen’s and Concordia Universities. Recent credits include co-production design for Bashir Lazhar, a U of A production that travelled to theatres in Munich, Dresden, and Innsbruck, festival set design for U of A’s New Works Festival, and set design for Studio Theatre’s Major Barbara. In 2008 Jennifer received a Montreal English Critics Circle Award (MECCA) for best set design for Morris Panych’s 7 Stories (Tableau d’Hôte).
Whitney Grace
Whitney Grace, born in Edmonton, Alberta, is a graduate of the RDC Theatre Studies and Motion Picture Arts Programs. She recently signed on to be part of the Dagaz Talent team and is working in film and theatre around Alberta. She first became interested in acting at a young age where she was cast in the performance of The Night Before Christmas. Whitney has done some local theater in her Edmonton Community as well as some professional film work for CBS, A Christmas Blessing. A few of her credits range from Emmy Hennings in The Dada Play, Miss Squeamish in The Country Wife, and a reoccurring cast member in the live comedy night Bullskit. Along with her acting Whitney studies fight choreography. Whitney has just finished RDC’s version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as Fight Assistant. She has coordinated several fight sequences for independent short films. She really hopes you enjoy Bull Skit at Nextfest 2009. Take your bathroom breaks it’s going to be a night you don’t want to miss!
Comedy is my life when I think no one is watching.
Perry Gratton
Open Tracks is Perry's directorial debut for Nextfest. Other Nextfest credits include various roles in 13 Encounters and Big Joey in The Shark Tumour Collection, as well shadowing the director of Nocturne in 2003. Perry is an Edmonton based artist currently attending the U of A, where he has completed four years of the BA in Drama, and will be entering the BFA Acting Program this fall. Selected acting credits include Oberon in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (U of A), Cook in Dead Centre of Town: Left for Dead (Catch the Keys), and Jerry in Green Eggs & Kerouac (Edmonton Fringe '08). He last directed for the University's NewWorks festival earlier this year, working on City Tensei by Evan Smith. Perry also works designing posters and such for local Edmonton theatres. Working on this show has been a blast, and the hard work by every one of the rad people involved has been an absolute treat. Enjoy Open Tracks and Nexfest 2009.
Hedda Hakvåg
Hedda is thrilled to have her playwriting début with Open Tracks at the Nextfest. Originally from Norway, Hedda is now battling the English language full-time while minoring in Writing at the U of A. She would like to take the opportunity to thank Drama Class 363 and Conni Massing for their moral support and wise suggestions; without them, Open Tracks would never have been born. Thanks also to Steve Pirot for having faith in the product. And last, but far from least: Director Perry, the awesome cast, and Molly&Jen&Andrew. Go team!
Kassia Haynes
Kassia Haynes is currently studying theater at the University of Alberta. She has been involved with the U of A Society for Creative Filmmaking for three years, and although she primarily counts herself as an actress, she takes the occasional stab at the behind camera work. Spoken Barriers is her first film as a director, and she had tons of help from all involved. Kassia is also heavily involved with the Alberta Student Film Festival. This is her fourth time appearing at Nextfest, and she loves it every time.
Ainsley Hillyard
Ainsley is the choreographer of slapdash for Nextfest 2009. She started her professional training in Edmonton, Alberta, and obtained her diploma in dance from Grant MacEwan College, under the instruction of Brian Webb and Heidi Bunting in 2004. Leaving Edmonton for a brief period, she furthered her studies in dance, obtaining her Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree at the school of contemporary dancers in affiliation with the University of Winnipeg in May 2008. Upon returning to Edmonton, Ainsley has been taking regular classes with Heidi Bunting, Linda Turnbull ,and Raena Waddell. Recently, Ainsley joined the new and exciting dancers collective ‘Good Women’, and devotes most of her time and energy towards propelling the group forward. Ainsley has a strong desire to choreograph and is inspired by the complexities and opportunities of movement. She is very exited to be emerging into the professional world of dance.
Cole Humeny
After shocking, insulting and offending the audience with Slow Children Playing back in 2005, Cole has been on a Nextfest hiatus. But with time for both audience and performer to heal and move on, he is glad to be welcomed back. Working with friend, former classmate, and collaborator of ManDance, Richard Lee, has been an absolute treat. Seriously, if you have the chance to work with this guy, do. Recent theatre credits include Unity 1918 (Ala Players), ManDance (Expanse Festival), Rhinoceros (University of Alberta), Twelfth Night and While We're Young (Studio Theatre). Next up is Spiral Dive (episode two) at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Cole is a graduate of Grant MacEwan Theatre Arts Program and the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting Program.
Michaela Jeffery
Michaela Jeffery is a graduate of The University of Calgary’s BFA drama program, minoring in English. University of Calgary acting credits include Nickel & Dime's Vignettes and Pretty People and Vulgarity, and mainstage productions Hamlet, Lux in Tenebris, and An Evening of Clown, directed by John Turner. Other stage credits include THEATREboom's Re:Generation, Stage West's The Sound of Music and Story Book Theatre's Arkansaw Bear. Selected writing credits include Apple Mine, and Lapse (Nickel & Dime), Kairos Divine, Fetish (Calgary Fringe Festival) and Boy Blue. Michaela is a two-time recipient of the Alberta Drama Festival Association’s “Outstanding Original Script” (regional) award for Lapse (2009) and Boy Blue (2008). Check out Michaela at Nextfest 2009 in Lapse.
Amy Keating
Amy is thrilled to be back for Nextfest 2009! This will be her fourth year performing in the festival. This year, look for her in Nicole Schafenacker’s Fish at the Bottom of the Sea at the Roxy Theatre, and at the afternoon play readings in Jason Chinn’s Ladies Who Lynch. Past Nextfest credits include two years performing in the Shorts at the Azimuth Theatre, and playing the role of Creature in Night Spell last year at the Roxy. Amy recently finished up her fourth year of a Drama Honors degree at the University of Alberta. When she isn’t in school, and even when she is, Amy likes to clown around, and is currently developing a clown show as part of an independent study project that will debut next year in April. Look for her this summer at the Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Edmonton Fringe Festivals as the title role in Jason Chinn’s new work The Lavender Lady!
Jon Lachlan Stewart
Jon has been writing theatre since he was twelve. Writing credits include: Little Room, Twisted Thing, Grumplestock’s (co-written), The Desk, Urbantility, Eleanor, Big Shot, The Gooble Portrait (SurrealSoReal Theatre), Dirty Mouth (Solo Collective), What We Want, Population Eleven (Studio 58), and The Boyle Street Project (Electric Company Theatre).Acting credits include The Goat or Who is Sylvia, The Laramie Project, A Christmas Carol (Citadel Theatre), Guys and Dolls, Richard III, Dogeaters, A Perfect Wedding (Studio 58), Zastrozzi (Enlightenment Theatre), The Shape of Things (Twenty-something Theatre), The Play About the Baby (Theatre Network), and Whale Riding Weather (ZeeZee Theatre). Jon has also performed in all of his writing with SurrealSoReal Theatre. Sound design credits include Eleanor, Big Shot, Little Room, The Desk (SurrealSoReal), Red Bird (Just Add Theatre), Zastrozzi (Enlightenment Theatre), and Last Train to Nibroc (Blarney Productions). Jon has been nominated for two Edmonton Sterlings and one Vancouver Jessie for his acting and producing, has been published, and aspires to artistic leadership and mentorship in Canada. For Nextfest 2009, Jon directed Red, part of Alter Ego .
Richard Lee
Richard is thrilled to be Nextfesting it up again, having performed in Social Work, Peach (Shorts Program) and Shaggy Dogs (Sololiloquies) in prior years. This year, Richard can be seen in ManDance, as well as playing Daren at the play reading of Addition. Recent credits include: Sprouts (Concrete Theatre), Work Plays (Alberta Worker's Health Centre), Unity 1918 (ALAPlayers), The Invisible Project (OYR High Performance Rodeo), ManDance (Expanse Festival), and Anime (Lucid Productions). This summer, he will be attending One Yellow Rabbit's Summer Lab Intensive, and acting in Justen Bennett's Addition for the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Richard is a graduate of the BFA Acting Program at the University of Alberta.
Ariane Mahrÿke Lemire
Born to bilingual parents from Saskatchewan and raised in Edmonton, Ariane Mahrÿke Lemire started writing at an early age. With the help of her father, classical guitarist Lyall Steel, she eventually put her words to music and started writing songs on a regular basis.
This past year Ariane Mahrÿke has played on stages across western Canada, Québec, France and Ireland. Last year after receiving the Rawlco Magic 99 recording grant, she recorded her first album, Double Entendre with co-producer and bassist Mike Lent. The album, which won a Western Canadian Music Award this year includes both a French disc and an English disc of original songs. Whether accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Cam Boyce and drummer Ian Morris, or doing a solo performance, she manages to entertain crowds with theatrical deliveries of her story-like songs which blend folk, jazz, and blues.
Norton Mah
Having been a Nextfest audience member since 2000 and trying to get in as a Nextfest artist for just as long, the door has finally opened. Check out Norton in a leading role (Francis) in Buddies, screening at Filmfest @ Nextfest. Since graduating from The King's University College with an English BA, Norton has script supervised a horror feature, Trapped, and an AMPIA winning dark comedy short, Is the Lady of the House In? (2008). He has taken various film acting workshops since 1998, but Buddies is Norton's film acting debut. His playwriting credits include: Hull Block (2005 Edm Fringe) and Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder (2009 Edm Fringe). All you theatre actors/actresses, look for the audition notice in June '09. Watch for the latter play's director/dramaturge, Matt Slingsby, involved in a theatre piece debuting at Nextfest's SMUT Cabaret Nite Club.
Anastasia Maywood
Nextfest 2009 marks Anastasia Maywood's (U of A, BA (Drama) Honours 2007) first year choreographing for dancefest@Nextfest. Anastasia has been involved with the Orchesis Modern Dance Group for the past 9 years as both a choreographer and dancer. She is excited to be presenting the re-vamped version, Transient/The Magpie Collection, which was originally performed at Dance Motif 2009. Along with dance, Anastasia is also involved with clowning and was last involved with the first production of Joel Bazin's False Start: Beginning of a Fool. This fall Anastasia will be starting her Masters of Choreography program either at York University or LABAN (she is still deciding!).
Richard Meen
Richard is an Alberta based actor who has worked in Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary. Theatre credits include Deathtrap (Ignition Theatre), Cherish (Northern Light Theatre), While My Mother Lay Dreaming (Shadow Theatre/Ghost River Theatre), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Ingition Theatre), and recently the hit premiere of Edges: the Musical (Ignition Theatre). Film and TV credits include Are You Dead Yet Bertie, High Society, Power Setting: High, and an episode of Fear Itself on NBC. He will soon be appearing in the title role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. This is Richard's first appearance in NextFest. Check him out in Bull Skit .
Morgan Melnyk
This is Morgan's second year participating in Nextfest and she is thrilled to be back! In last year's festival she was seen in the Enbridge High School play "Superzeroes" as Mistress Freeze at the Azimuth Theatre. Morgan is a current drama student at Strathcona High School and is focusing on gaining valuble experience in the field of Production Design and Theatrical Direction. Look for her work in the Enbridge High School Plays Red and Elevator as Stage Manager/ Assistant Director.
Matthew Overall
Matthew studied acting under Keith Johnstone and Patricia Benedict before embarking on an extended stay in Japan, where he dabbled in Japanese TV and Film. Now back in Canada, Matthew has returned to the University of Calgary to continue with acting and with his first love of the stage. Recent works include: the role of Ethan in Lapse (winner at the Calgary One Act Festival), C in IC and John in I'm Pregnant (Nickle and Dime Productions), John in The Shawl for the Taking Flight Festival, and the role of David (et al) in The Josephie Knot at the Ignite! festival. Matthew is thrilled to be reprising his role in Lapse at Nextfest.
Zachary Parsons-Lozinski
Zachary Parsons-Lozinski hasn’t been performing for very long, but 2009 has certainly been a busy and exciting year. Zachary starred in his first ever film, Stitches, which premiered January 9, 2009 at Victoria School. The film featured some well known Edmonton actors such as Trevor Schmidt and Linda Grass – with Zachary in the lead role! Stitches went on to be nominated for three AMPIA awards (including “Best Feature”). Zachary was also recently nominated for “Best Cameo Actor” at the Cappies Awards for his work in Victoria School’s production of My Fair Lady as Professor Zoltan Karpathy. This July, Zachary will be putting up his play Sexual Anarchist (which had a Nextfest reading last year) at the Azimuth Theatre. He wrote, directed, and will star in the show. Zachary is also very excited to announce that he will be performing in not one, but two Fringe shows at this year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival: She Came From Planet X, written and directed by Andrea Beça (who also has a staged reading at this years Nextfest for a different show), and Tinseltown, written and directed by his good friend Ayden Ross – which he is also proudly performing as a staged reading at this year's Afternoon Teas(ers) development series. Zachary will be attending Grant MacEwan’s “Theatre Arts” program, starting Fall ’09.
Jessica Peverett
Jessica Peverett is appearing in Nicole Schafenacker's Fish At The Bottom of The Sea. She graduated from Augustana Faculty (U of A) in 2007. She's been bumming around Alberta ever since. Her goal has been to weasel her way into shows and your hearts. Acting credits include: The Laramie Project, Breakdown, The Vagina Monologues, The Most Massive Woman Wins, Les Belles Soeurs, Unity (1918), and Wilkommen in Spreepark, FISH (April 09). Soon to come, she'll be appearing in Flood at the Edmonton Fringe and starting her MA in Theatre at the U of A. She is so grateful to have been a part of so many incarnations of this spectacular project.
Jill Pollock
Jill Pollock was found daydreaming under a tree one day. When asked, it became known that Edmonton was her birth place and currently, her loving home. Turn out she loves pumicing her heels, living out of a backpack and telling mildly true stories. Normally, Jill is found on stage playing her ukulele for people, walls, doorways, and sometimes sunshine. You can see her ukuleleing in the sunshine this June at North Country Fair and Sasquatch Gathering in July. This is her first self-written full length play. She hopes you like it. Or at least pretend to. Oh, and Jill loves Karen and Michael. Check out Jill in her Nextfest show, Ladyvision.
Zvonimir Rac
Zvonimir is thrilled and extremely excited to be making his debut at Nextfest 2009. He can be seen playing Aaron in Open Tracks. He is also currently attending the University of Alberta, where he will be entering his second year in the Bachelor of Arts program in Drama. Working with the fine people involved with Open Tracks has been pure bliss. He gives many thanks to the fellow cast and crew for the adventure that will never be forgotten. He hopes you enjoy Nextfest 2009 as much as he will — or perhaps even more!
Nicole Schafenacker
Nicole is thrilled to be opening this year's festival with Fish at the Bottom of the Sea. This is Nicole's third play to be produced on the mainstage and she can't thank Nextfest enough for all the wonderful
experiences she's been given. Other favorite Nextfest projects include playing Amanda in The Shark Tumour Collection by Jill Connell and
performing in Art on Art at last year's Nite Clubs. Nicole recently finished her BA Honors degree in Drama and is looking forward to new adventures ahead.
Emily Schultz
Emily Schultz, born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, is a fifteen-year-old dancer and singer. Born a performer, Emily has sung at several different festivals and events in and around Edmonton, such as The Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2008 and The Calgary Solstice Festival 2008. She has also performed on several local news and radio stations, including Global Television and CKUA Radio Network. This summer, Emily will be singing at such festivals as The Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival, performing on the same stage as Serena Ryder and Bedouin Soundclash. At the age of twelve, the Victoria School of the Arts student surprised everyone by taking part in the Dance program, where she studied ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, modern and other styles of dance throughout junior high. Emily participated in her school’s extracurricular dance groups Contemporary Dance Ensemble and Dance Xtreme, and continues to explore movement and choreography in her grade ten year. She is delighted to be a part of Nextfest 2009, and is making her debut in Becky Sadowski’s ‘Let’s Dance’ piece, Skin Deep.
Amy Shostak
Amy is so pleased to be involved in Nextfest for her seventh year in a row. For Nextfest 2009, she is directing Letters to Noce, and performing at the Visual Arts Opening Gala. Previous Nextfest credits include: A Watched Pot Never Boyles (co-created and performed with Arlen Konopaki), An After School Special...Hardly! (co-created and performed with Kirsten Rasmussen), Random Acts of Violence in America (stage manager) and God's Favoured Child (stage manager). Amy is a recent graduate of The University of Alberta, where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama and Art History. She improvises weekly with Rapid Fire Theatre, and is the current Associate Artistic Director. Recent performance credits include: Kiss My Bus (Rapid Fire Theatre), Thrubwell’s Pies (Teatro la Quindicina), and HAG! (InterFEAR). This summer, Amy looks forward to a remount of A Watched Pot Never Boyles at The Edmonton Fringe. Amy would like to thank her Mom and Dad for being awesome human beings.
Cory Sincennes
Cory Sincennes has designed sets, costumes and lighting for many productions across the Ottawa and Toronto regions. He is new to Edmonton, where he currently teaches design and studies at the University of Alberta. He is a MFA candidate in Scenography. Cory also holds an Architecture degree (Carleton University). He recently completed a European Tour, with a co-designed production of Evelyne de la Cheneliere’s Bashir Lazhar. Recent Credits: Major Barbara (Lighting Design- Studio Theatre), Cabaret (Harthouse Theatre), Liars Club (Vision Visage), La Petite Sir?ne & Cendrillon (La Petit Ballet), The Music Man, My Fair Lady (Suzart). You can see his work at Nextfest 2009 in Fish At the Bottom of the Sea, El Dorado, and Dog (as part of the Hurly Burly Nite Club on June 19).
Andrew Smith
Andrew G. Smith graduated from Theatre Production at Grant MacEwan College with distinction in 2008. This is his 3rd year of being involved in NextFest. This year, Andrew is the sound designer for the mainstage show Open Tracks, and is assisting in sound designs for One Hundred Days of Sunlight and Letters to Noce. He is also designing the sound environments for all four NiteClubs at the ARTery. You will see him around, if you can see a sound console during the festival, he is probably behind it. Other recent credits include the remount of last years NextFest experiment Art on Art (Catch the Keys) and the most recent leg of touring for Frankenstein (Catalyst Theatre), as sound operator. Andrew also creates electro-rock dance music in his solo project the electric arc(www.myspace.com/theelectricarc).
Keltie Squires
Keltie is delighted to be playing Nora in Open Tracks. This is her third year taking part in Nextfest, and she was seen in previous years in The Sound of Stars Reflecting and in the readings of Who Can Play? and A Taste of Sunlight in December. Other credits include Possible Worlds (Fringe), Alice in Wonderland (Kids Fringe), The Seagull (Grant MacEwan) and Grand Hotel (Grant MacEwan). She has completed her first year of the Theatre Arts program at MacEwan and will be continuing school at the U of A in the fall.
Mandy Stewart
Mandy Stewart is tickled pink to be making her NextFest debut as part of the amazing cast and crew of One Hundred Days of Sunlight. She holds a diploma in Theatre Performance from Red Deer College and continually studies with talented professionals to improve her craft. Highlights of her past acting work include being a part of the 2009 Vagina Monologues (PETS Productions), 'Woman' in The Bundle, 'Wicked Witch of the West' in The Wizard of Oz (RDC), and 'Lucy' in the staged reading of Mr.. Twiddles (Walterdale).
Check out the site http://mandy-stewart.blogspot.com for a complete listing of her theatre credits.
Faye Stollery
Faye is thrilled to say that this is her 4th year with Nextfest, travelling through Shorts, puppets, SMUT, and now One Hundred Days of Sunlight.
Recent performance: Titania – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (U of A). Recent directing project: Vin-Oh (U of A - NewWorks). She is looking forward to her next directing project: NLT 2009/2010 Urban Tales. Her
main interests lie in performance clown. She will be joining forces with Amy Keating and Jake Prins for their clown show debuting in April 2010. Faye is on the verge of graduating with a BA in Drama at the U
of A.
Kara Sturk
Kara is an acting student, writer and composer entering her third year of the University of Calgary theatre program. Past performances include: Rough Draft, Hamlet, The Gerry Thurston Performance Creation Festival, Phaedra, staged readings of Meat Puppet and Our Last White Night (University of Calgary), and Wagonstage 2008 (U of C/The City of Calgary). She is looking forward to performing in U of C’s production of Sexxxy 2009. Writing credits include: Now and IC (produced by U of C’s Nickel & Dime Theatre). Kara has composed musical scores for IC and Lapse (Best Production, 2009 Calgary Region One Act Play Festival). Along with reprising her role as composer, Kara is thrilled to be joining the cast of Lapse as a Chorus Member for Nextfest 2009.
Maura Sutherland
Maura has been dancing for over 20 years in various modern dance techniques, as well as jazz and ballet. She attended the Grant MacEwan Dance Program in 1996-1997 and has been a member of the Orchesis Modern Dance Group at the University of Alberta for 9 years. Maura is a U of A graduate - B.A. (Hon) and LLB. While Maura spends most of her time with family and practicing law for Alberta Justice, she continues to have a strong love and appreciation for modern dance in Edmonton. This is Maura’s first time performing in dancefest@Nextfest and she has had a great time dancing with fellow Orchesis dancers and the always creative and quirky choreographer, Anastasia Maywood, of Transient/The Magpie Collection.
The Str8 Up Gypsies
The Str8 Up Gypsies are a group of musicians devoted to bringing you new music every time they perform. These base 4 members, Cam Boyce (Bass/Violin/Beat maker), Travis Boa (Lead Vocals/Guitar/Beat box), Lynett Mckell (Vocals) and Leon Hunter (Ukrainian Emcee/Freestyle Rap) hold in them the spark to inspire and move anyone who can appreciate music. These original members work with the artist community in and around Edmonton, Alberta to create shows that are original and multi-media based. The Str8 Up Gypsies have a very unique quality, the ability to improvise hours of music to fit any mood or situation. RJD2, Radiohead, Tom Waits and The Fugees are just a few names that these multi-talented individuals can be compared to. If a person ends up at a performance by this group, they should be prepared to be swept away by the passion running through these gypsies veins. Get ready to be inspired!
Find the gypsies online @
www.reverbnation.com/thestr8upgypsies
iTunes search: Of Breath (Love Machine)
YouTube search: The Str8 up Gypsies
Contact us at:
thestr8upgypsies@gmail.com
or Travis Boa (780) 914-9778
Raena Waddell
Raena graduated from the Grant MacEwan College Dance Program in 2000, where she received the Brian Webb Dance Company Award. She is a 2007 recipient of the Nextfest ENBRIDGE Emerging Artist Award. She has spent the past 9 years in Edmonton performing for various choregraphers from across Canada including Tonya Locker, Neah Kalcounis, Heidi Bunting and Tracy Friesen. Raena spent a number of years working with Linda Turnbull and Cheryl Fontaine within the umbrella of NewDance Collective and was presented by the Brian Webb Dance Company in 2007. She now works as an independent artist having performed at Alberta Dance Explosions, Feats Festival, Fringe Theatre Adventures, Nextfest and Expanse Festival. Together with her dance partner Vincent Forcier, Raena is delighted to be performing in Nextfest for her 6th year. Away from the stage you can find Raena teaching pilates at Integration Studio, creating something exciting with her sewing machine or following Nine Inch Nails across the globe.